Rock Solid: Fiammetta may be FB Bills need

Tyler Dunne

03/24/2009

Bruising fullback Tony Fiammetta was on very poor teams at Syracuse throughout his collegiate career, but still managed to become the best fullback in this year's draft. After years of ignoring the position, the Bills may be interested in drafting Fiammetta. Russ Brandon and co. met with Fiammetta at the Combine. BFR's Tyler Dunne has the story in this draft feature...

It hit Randy Trivers all of a sudden – a revelation on a late August night two years ago.

His fullback at Syracuse, Tony Fiammetta, was bound for the NFL. No doubt in his mind. As Trivers watched a preseason NFL game, he isolated on the fullbacks. The genetics that constitute a pro-level fullback have never hazier. But SU's running backs coach was sold.

The next day at summer camp, Trivers approached Fiammetta with his prophetic guarantee. It was Fiammetta's dream to play in the NFL, but the dream didn't have substance until this.

"(Trivers) told me that there was no doubt in his mind that I could be doing that in a few years," Fiammetta said. "Hearing that from him gave me a little push in the right direction and gave me the motivation to have confidence in myself and go full-steam ahead with my dream of playing in the NFL."

"He believed in his heart that there was no way I could be denied."

The promise somehow endured 19 losses in 24 games and a full-fledged coaching coup – Trivers was exiled along with several other assistants in Greg Robinson's firing and is now the running backs coach at Rutgers. Through Syracuse's embarrassing demise from prominence, Fiammetta gradually developed. The losses piled, the Carrier Dome emptied, Robinson's hot seat encompassed the program…and Fiammetta continued improving.

A shiny gold watch at the town dump, Fiammetta grew into the best fullback in this year's draft class.

At the Combine, he drew serious interest from the Bills. Fiammetta said he met with chief operating officer Russ Brandon and the Bills coaching staff – particularly running backs coach Eric Studesville.

"It went well. I went to a number of meetings at the Combine," Fiammetta said. "I think overall, each one I went to went well. I definitely like the (Bills) coaching staff. I think they got a good feel of the kind of football player and person I am."

Tony Fiammetta had the best time among fullbacks in the 40-yard dash at the Combine.Getty Images

Fiammetta is the kind of player that Big East defenses geared entire gameplans around. The departure of Taj Smith and year-long suspension of Mike Williams gutted Syracuse of its entire passing game last season. Former walk-on Cameron Dantley – the son of NBA great Adrian Dantley – settled for dumpoffs and checkdowns all season, only eclipsing 200 yards once.

Defenses jammed bodies into the box and teed off on Syracuse every Saturday. Where Fiammetta went, they went. He was the focal point of every defensive gameplan, but Fiammetta still helped Curtis Brinkley rush for 1,164 yards and seven touchdowns. SU's predictable playbook may as well of fallen under the Freedom of Information Act – and Brinkley still mustered 4.9 yards per carry.

Roommates on the road, Fiammetta and Brinkley talked every night before the game about how they'd specifically attack the defense. Who he'd target, which hip Brinkley would slide off of, the duo covered it all inside their hotel room.

A protector to the bone, Fiammetta said there wasn't another running back he'd rather block for. Brinkley had suffered two season-ending knee injuries at Syracuse. Keying Brinkley's vindication was rewarding to Fiammetta.

"I took a lot of pride in watching him succeed," Fiammetta said. "He knew that I was going to do everything that I could do on every play to get my assignment done and break him for a run. And I knew that he was going to run his butt off on every play."

The true indication of Fiammetta's worth was exposed in the game he missed with a lower leg injury. Syracuse gained a grand total nine yards in the second half at South Florida without Fiammetta. After the game, Bulls defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said, "We based our entire gameplan around No. 43."

The next week against Louisville – with Fiammetta back in action – Syracuse steamrolled the Cardinals defense for 207 rushing yards on 38 numbing carries with two touchdowns.

If Turk Schonert plans on enacting on his old plans to re-introduce the fullback position to Buffalo's offense last season, drafting Fiammetta is the best place to start. Buffalo did re-sign Corey McIntyre to a two-year deal, but don't expect McIntyre to nestle into the starting fullback role. He's a fringe special teams player at best.

Like tight end, fullback has been a forgotten position through Buffalo's playoff-less decade. The Bills didn't even carry a fullback in Steve Fairchild's Rams-wannabe offense. With a bruiser (Marshawn Lynch) and a cruiser (Fred Jackson), the Bills' personnel alone begs for a snowplow to clear a path.

The well-spoken Fiammetta could be the intelligent point man in attacking 3-4 defenses of the AFC East. The Bills signed Geoff Hangartner as their new center, but Fiammetta could help locate linebackers from the backfield. The Syracuse fullback said Buffalo didn't divulge into their offensive philosophy with him during their visit. But he got a good overall vibe from their discussions.

Marshawn Lynch could use a pure lead blocker in Buffalo's offense.Getty Images

"I think that just the fact they talked to me shows they are somewhat interested in getting the fullback involved," Fiammetta said. "Hopefully, if they call me up, I can make it happen."

Scout.com draft expert Chris Steuber said Fiammetta is the best fullback available and will garner fifth-round consideration.

"Fiammetta is a solid, strong lead blocker who flashes the hands to be an option on offense," Steuber said. "He's very strong and doesn't back down from a challenge. He has a quick burst to the line and identifies the blitz immediately; outstanding in pass protection."

A highly recruited tailback, Fiammetta came to Syracuse at only 215 pounds. Now, he said he's anywhere between 245 and 250. His thick build is violent at the point of attack.

"He delivers punishing hits and gives the running back a chance to make his cuts," Steuber said. "He doesn't possess elite height, but has a solid muscular frame. He has to work on his route running and continue to develop his hands. He has good straight-line speed, but isn't a natural athlete; lacks fluidity in the hips."

Fiammetta flashed unparalleled strength at the NFL Combine in February. His 30 repetitions on the bench press ranked first among all running backs.

"I didn't know what everybody else was going to do but I knew what I could do because that's my strength," Fiammetta said. "I knew going into the Combine that I was going to be one of the top guys."

Scouts knew this too. What Fiammetta needed to do was expand upon the athleticism he flashed in flickers at Syracuse. As a senior, he caught 16 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. To break the shackles of the fullback stereotype, Fiammetta needed to show wheels in the 40 as well.

A fullback-best time of 4.6 at the Combine proved Fiammetta isn't merely a muscle-bound hammer. He compares his style to New York Jets' fullback Tony Richardson – an athletic supplementary weapon out of the backfield that still turned Priest Holmes into a fantasy-football legend.

The fullback position may be a dying breed in the NFL – the I-formation is something taught in Pop Warner and forgotten by JVs these days. More teams continue to mutate the West Coast offense and employ multi-back sets, the typical bell-cow back formula that Fiammetta pioneered last season is fading. And who knows what hell the Miami Dolphins broke loose last season with the Wildcat offense.

But after having several individual meetings with front offices and coaches at the Combine and the Senior Bowl, Fiammetta is sure that there remains an industry for fullbacks. No need for the government to bail out his position just yet.

"I think it's a good year to be a fullback in the draft," Fiammetta said. "I figure people are interested in me, so we'll just see what happens."

If the Bills aim to traditionalize its directionless offense from a year ago, using a third- or fourth-round pick on the rock-solid Fiammetta is an ideal starting point.

Tyler Dunne is the Publisher of BuffaloFootballReport.com and also writes for The Packer Report. You can contact him at thdunne@gmail.com.